Death of Osun Minority Leader: Aregbesola, Ooni, PDP, others mourn

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has described the death of member representing Ife Central and Minority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Makinde Oladejo Samson as shocking. The lawmaker died in Ekiti State Teaching Hospital on Sunday at the age of 48 after a brief illness.
In a condolence message by the Director of Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Semiu Okanlawon, Governor Aregbesola described the death of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP lawmaker as sudden and shocking.
The Governor, who prayed for the repose of Hon. Samson’s soul, extended his condolence to the immediate family, members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Osun, Ife Central and the entire people of the state .
Aregbesola urged the Speaker, members of the state Assembly and Makinde’s family to take with equanimity the loss of Hon Oladejo, describing death as an inevitable end for everybody.
Aregbesola said: “though it is very painful to lose somebody like Hon. Oladejo at that youthful age, one clear lesson is the transient nature of life itself; it’s not about Hon. Makinde Oladejo, but about the fact that death is a certainty that must come to every living being.
The lawmaker was the Chairman, House Committee on Regional Integration and Special Duties. He is survived by aged mother, wife and children.
A statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye said the death of the lawmaker came to the Assembly as a great shock.
The Assembly noted that though the late lawmaker was battling with illness, his response to medical attention gave them the confidence that he would soon be back on his feet and join the legislative business in the house.
Similarly, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Monday, expressed sadness over the death of Honourable Dejo Makinde. Ooni’s condolence message was endorsed in Ile-Ife by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Mr Moses Olafare.
He said that Makinde, who represented Ife Central Constituency in Osun House of Assembly, was a gentleman endowed with attributes of “Omoluabi’’.
According to him, his positive impacts will remain indelible on the minds of not only inhabitants of Ile-Ife but the entire state of Osun, having patriotically served as Ife Central Local Government boss.
The monarch said “although he left us when his courage and carriage would have been of immense benefit to Ile-Ife and Osun, we pray his gentle soul rest in perfect peace’’.
Also, in a message, the Speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad described the sudden death of the lawmaker as painful.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Shuaib Abdulkadir, Dr. Ahmad said the legislator who represented Ife Central Constituency was a parliamentarian per excellence whose robust contributions at the floor of the House would be missed his by colleagues.
He further lamented that Makinde’s death on the day he attained the prime age of 48 was shocking, noting that Almighty God knows best why he took him away at such a unique time.
The Speaker urged Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najim Salam and members of the state House of Assembly, his immediate family and the people of Ife Central to take solace in the fact that he lived a life worthy of emulation.
The speaker also sympathised with the shop owners at Oja-Tuntun in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state over the fire that gutted part of the market.
Describing the incident as a disaster that could have been averted, Ahmad called on government to urgently come to the aid of the shop owners in order to cushion the effect of the loss.
In a related development, the Osun state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday described as “shocking” the death of a lawmaker elected on its platform, Hon Samson Makinde aka “Igwe”.
The party in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi in Osogbo described the deceased as “courageous and thorough breed party man”, who has proven over the years unmatched attributes of a responsible and responsive leader.
“He died on his 48th birthday when arrangements to celebrate him as a worthy ambassador of PDP in the House of Assembly had been concluded and after battling unsuccessfully with an undisclosed ailment.”
“A scholar of note, Makinde was strict but humane, brave, but with manners, a democrat of purest quality and one of the few reminders of politicians with true love of people.”
“His records as local government chairman and state lawmaker have remained permanently etched on the minds of people,” the statement said.
It also commiserated with the speaker and the colleagues of the late Makinde in Osun state House of Assembly on his death and pray God to end to such occurrence among them.